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'It's crazy what you hear on that mic': Jacques Nienaber on 'wink-gate'
By Jon Newcombe
Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber has dismissed the furore over Jaden Hendrikse’s antics, declaring, ‘it’s just normal’ behaviour in professional rugby.
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Sharks scrum-half Hendrikse, who Nienaber has coached with the Springboks, caused a social media furore when he winked at Jack Crowley while being treated for cramp near where the Munster player was taking his place kick during last weekend’s dramatic shoot-out between the teams.
This followed an earlier tit-for-tat exchange between the pair, when, after taking the first kick, Hendrikse had clearly said something to rile up Crowley, who clapped back before taking his own kick at goal.
The URC quarter-final had gone to a place-kicking contest after the sides were locked at 24-24 after extra time. The Sharks won the shootout 6-4 and now go on to Pretoria to take on the Bulls in an all-South African semi-final, while Nienaber’s Leinster will be attempting to take down the reigning champions Glasgow in Dublin in the other semi-final.
“It’s something that happens in the game from minute one to minute 80,” Nienaber told The Irish Independent.
“There’s banter and trying to get under a guy’s skin and trying to physically impose yourself on him and try and rub his hair. I mean that happens for 80 minutes, so in this case, it was for everyone to see because it’s not as secluded as what will be in a game. But it happens in a game.
Nienaber then referenced the Peter O’Mahony jibe to Sam Cane during an All Blacks vs Ireland Test in 2022, that ‘he was just a s*** Richie McCaw’, as a further example of sportsmanship. Ireland went on to win that game, but Cane had the last laugh by producing a superb performance 18 months later, when the All Blacks dumped Ireland out of the 2023 World Cup.
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“Think of Pete [O’Mahony], what did he tell Sam Cane? I mean, that banter flies. If you listen to just the referee mic and you take the commentators away, it’s crazy what you hear on that mic. They got stuck into each other. It’s just normal.”
Looking ahead to this weekend’s URC semi-final, Nienaber is wary of Glasgow’s ability to turn on the style in a big one-off game. Leinster have held the upper hand in recent exchanges with the Scottish outfit and are at home, but Nienaber says his team will be on full alert.
“If you think back to last year, they [Glasgow] went to Munster in Thomond Park. It’s a tall order to win in Thomond Park, and they did that. Then it’s an even taller order to fly over, go to altitude, play the Bulls, which we struggled with – we got knocked out the week before by the Bulls,” he stated.
“They went over there and got a result there. The same thing with Munster going to South Africa and doing a job on the Stormers. It’s a completely different game.
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“You can be as good as you want to and play as brilliant rugby as you want to in the league stage of the competition, but where it counts is you just have to make sure that you are a little bit better than the team that you play against on that specific day of a knockout game.”
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I'd say friendly banter, sledging or a bit of craic is part of combat sport.
Rolling around like a used tampon for 5 mins to prevent an opponent taking their kick, ain't sledging.
“Nothing I wouldn’t have done meself (sic)”!
Hilarious stuff!!!!!!! God bless them the distinction is not obvious.
To be honest, I have no issue with the sledging although I’d always like it to stop when the final whistle goes. I was delighted after Glasgow’s win over the Stormers to see the great interaction between both sets of players with George Horne and fellow ex Sevens players from the Stormers laughing and obviously loving the post match rugby moment.
On the kicking issue, a huge amount has been written with lots of contrasting views from fans, experts and commentators and really it did nothing to change the result. However, and this cannot really be proven one way or another, I am of the opinion that the lad did not have cramp and that just riles me up much like the obvious coached tactic of anyone who takes any kind of glancing high blow staying down to try and gain some sanction for the opponent. I know the pressure is huge to win and finance relies on results but for high shots, I think that players who stay down should automatically have a head injury assessment and seeing as what I am having a wee whinge, I would really like referees to clamp down on players who ask for sanctions against opponents.
Mind you, the sun still shines and I love the game.
Playing 100+ min at top level rugby it is a wonder he could still stand. The 9 runs around more on a rugby field than anyone els.
I think it’s clear from the video—just watch his calves again—that Jaden was cramping, which explains why World Rugby didn’t cite him. It feels like this whole incident is being blown out of proportion, possibly to distract from Munster’s deeply negative play in the Sharks’ red zone. The referee allowed them to slow the game down with impunity, and that was honestly embarrassing to watch.
What’s disappointing is how this key context was conveniently left out of some commentary. If there was one team pushing the limits of fair play on the day, it was Munster. I’m genuinely glad the Sharks came out on top despite all of that. It would’ve been easy for some players to lose their heads out of frustration, but they held it together. That discipline comes down to experience—many of these Sharks players are World Cup-winning Springboks who understand what it takes to win. That was pure class and a testament to the Springbok mentality.
Having grown up, for example, during the greatest cricket era with the likes of the Australian cricket team - we Saffers probably take it for granted.
I think it’s telling that some Irish folk just don’t get the concept of sledging in a game between international sports teams. Competing on an international stage in sport is very new to them. Prior to this they ran around playing with a broomstick and a wiffle ball or some sh1t alone, in the pastures.
Or it’s just fake outrage. Woke sports fanaticism. Next they’ll be telling us we should do a curtsy before a scrum.
Is the ‘broomstick’ game you refer to the same Irish sport which, in it's original form, pre-dates Christianity? By a thousand years?
I'd hope you don't take international sport for granted.
Your mob got locked out of it for decades.
Hahahaha, greatest cricket era, you mean that game where they’re dressed in private schooled white jumpers and drink tea during the numerous breaks and intervals over hours of monotonous and tedious tip toeing?! Ya, hard men and a tough game! Sledging is part of every team sport no problem with it and players don’t have. When it comes down to kicking penalties or during a penalty shootout in this instance, you should respect the kicker as a player or management and shut up. Some integrity and respect is needed in that case.
By the way , what’s the deal with changing your name from Bull Shark? It’s a very weak move changing your name if you thought you were getting bullied. I would have thought you had abit more balls, with the couple tough shark names you go by? It would seem to me ironically, going by what you posted above, that you can’t handle the sledging?! I think periwinkle or the little mermaid may be more apt???
People are not reading between the lines.
If Nienaber is protecting Hendrikse then he is probably going South in 2026.
He is not protecting him, it’s just common sense.
Turlough, don’t read between the lines. Just read the lines. It’s simple.
Why would Nienaber waste his time dropping hints about 2026/27. Don’t you think he’s a grown man, professional enough not to play mind games and feed conspiracy theories.
Grow up Turlough.
So now you’re telling us Leinster definitely has a double agent in their camp? Interesting.
Remember red, just because you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you…😉
Oh dear red, jacques has just cut you off at the knees! Will that be on the World Rugby Council board meeting agenda too…
Nienaber almost fell off his chair laughing at a press conference when asked by a journalist if the Irish are any good a sledging. The fake outrage coming from some Irish supporters over a wink and a few words when Ireland has given us the likes of Sexton and Peter O’Mahony is beyond parody.
The outrage was from the International rugby media. It was an Irish team in that match but Munster did not complain or cite the player. There was no outrage coming from Irish supporters. A lot of lies coming from Saffers which is their wont.
There is equivalence between Sexton using foul language with Peyper and Hendrikse’s behaviour. Both broke rugby laws. The difference is Sexton was rightly penalized and sanctioned. Hendrinkse escaped without even penalty or yellow card.
POM scored a decent sledge against Cane who was losing his head as captain of NZ. During the 90 minutes and in response to Cane scuffling with an Irish player so all good and no foul.
Sexton and POM would view it as a mark of respect for online Southern hemisphere trolls to attack them.
Saffers need to get over yourselves. PSDT and Kolbe, arguably your two best players were divinga dn lying to try to steal a match from Ireland in Durbon in 2024. Your fake righteousness is beyond parody.
Over to you RedWarrior… 3-2-1…
yip, I’m waiting for his bleating to start too.